As the saying goes, "All's well that ends well”, Bollywood films are full of tragedy, romance, and comedy—but they all end on a happy note. Despite the joyful and applaudable happy endings, Hindi films tend to catch you off guard with their climax. In fact, Bollywood has some really emotional films—they make your throat hurt and your eyes tear up, force you to empathise with the characters, and leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. On that note, here’s a list of emotional Bollywood films that will warm up the cockles of your heart.
1. Shershaah (2021)
The saga of captain Vikram Batra is as fresh in our minds as if it happened yesterday. An ode to Batra’s codename in Kargil, Shershaah is one of the best emotional movies to come out of Bollywood in a while. The legacy of this young soldier, who died fighting the Pakistani army in Kargil in 1998, will be eternally engraved onto our hearts, along with his beautiful love story with Dimple.
The film has a number of emotional scenes that made us bawl our eyes out, including one where Dimple (played by Kiara Advani) rushes to the cremation site only to find that the pyre had already been lit. The realisation that she has lost the only chance to say goodbye definitely makes Shershaah top the charts of movies that make you cry.
2. Mimi (2021)
Mimi, a 25-year-old dancer, with big Bollywood ambitions, finds herself reluctantly accepting the offer of becoming a surrogate mother for a childless American couple—tempted by the payout that can become a means to achieve her dreams. But the plan goes awry when the American couple runs away after finding out that the baby might be differently-abled. Mimi, even though saddened by the treachery, decides to carry on with her pregnancy and raise the kid as her own after childbirth.
Through the course of this tearjerker movie, Mimi matures beautifully as she takes up the responsibility of being a mother. The film, Mimi, focuses on a variety of topics, including the emotional consequences of surrogacy, gender bigotry, religious stereotyping, and racial discrimination.
3. Dil Bechara (2020)
Perhaps one of the most emotional Bollywood movies, Dil Bechara is the Hindi adaptation of John Green's best-selling 2012 novel The Fault in Our Stars. Kizie and Manny, two young cancer patients, blossom as they fall in love with each other and try to live life to the fullest—despite their prognosis. Dil Bechara is a sad, romantic movie that makes you cry and yet, it has a lot of heart. The story's underlying theme of celebrating life, even when you know what's coming, infuses the plot with a contagious vitality—especially Manny's character, who wants to savour every second of every day.
Even though the movie's essence and cheerful tone prevail, the sorrow that foreshadows it will leave you in a knot in your throat as the credits roll. Sushant Singh Rajput's farewell song and final performance, Dil Bechara, will be forever remembered.
4. The Sky Is Pink (2019)
A teenager narrates the tale of her family's love and sacrifices from an unexpected viewpoint in the vibrant melodrama, The Sky Is Pink. Aisha (Zaira Wasim) shares her story in flashbacks from beyond the grave, following her parents, Aditi (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) and Niren (Farhan Akhtar), as they deal with her long-term sickness with wit and grit.
Even though they have a healthy son, they lost their second child to the same genetic disease that Aisha has, and they are adamant that her odds will be better. It's heartbreaking to see Aditi and Niren remain resolute, positive, and upbeat throughout their ordeal as a middle-class couple attempting to gather finances for their child's treatment in London. They are unable to cure Aisha's condition, but they can bring warmth and joy into her brief existence. This is exactly why this film deserves a seat on the best sad movies list. The Sky Is Pink is an emotional viewing—it will break your heart as you witness the Chaudhary family as they strive to make every moment matter, despite their difficult circumstances.
5. Neerja (2016)
Seeing off your happy, healthy child, only to have them return to you in a casket is heartbreaking to watch.
Neerja might be about late flight attendant Neerja Bhanot and how she fought for the lives of the passengers on board Pan Am Flight 73 when it was hijacked on the ground in Karachi by four armed Palestinian terrorists from the Abu Nidal group—but the film's strongest cinematic moments are those involving Neerja's family. Isn't it true that the consequences of a person's death are more heartbreaking than the person's death itself? This is exactly what this movie portrays. It's not so much about the tragedy as it is about the impact it had on the Bhanots. Who would have thought that a harmless filmy quote, “Pushpa I hate tears” would turn Neerja into one of those movies that will make you cry? One of the best heartbreak movies of recent times, get ready for a sob fest while watching this Sonam Kapoor starter.
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